It was one year ago that Ken West told the city of Sydney to rock up for its 2nd Big Day Out date for 2011 with the ‘get-a-friend-in-for-free’ scheme due to extremely low ticket sales. We were told that this would be our last chance ever to attend the event when it wouldn’t be “sold out” and packed to capacity. So now, fast-forward 12 months to the 20th anniversary of the event and after months of ridicule and downsizing has seeing the mortal business face behind the once considered, ‘grandest of music festivals’ finally killed the majesty? Consider this year’s event merely as a hangover from the amazing days before.
With no ‘SOLD OUT’ signs gracing the website or the box office, scalpers at the gates are forced to shout their prices just to themselves. For months one was anticipating a small attendance. The idea of fewer shirtless bogans who scrummage every stage to the point you have to leave what feels like a mass-orgy was enticing. But nevertheless, as long as the Sydney Big Day Out date coincides with Australia Day, you shall get that orgy no matter where you go.
The grounds and stages felt as crowded as any other year. ‘More skin than clothes’ still appears to be the theme. At least the bands got the numbers they deserved. Playing to a few hundred people would be a little disheartening.
Local lads Nantes performed their debut hit “Fly” with precision. The strong crowd that turned out to see them on one of the smaller stages is a testament to their showmanship and talent. Their uplifting set allowed them to work the crowd like season professionals. Their success will no doubt continue if they keep on going the way they are.
Bluejuice took to the Boiler Room stage to mass cheers. The lights dimmed and at first they were indistinguishable from their instruments. That was until they turned their neon lit jackets, pants, guitars, drums and keyboards on. Their presence resembled a Pop-Art party as the borders of each item were punctuated with green neon. It was a technical step-up from their orange jumpsuits of last year. Energy and a youthful spirit of all-round fun emanated from their set. One has to ask, if they return, how will they out-do themselves in 2013?
It’s been four years since Faker last played the Big Day Out and not a lot has changed. Nathan Hudson’s frequent running of the stage and jumping off the drum kit to highlight tempo changes in songs are still the main force of their set. His inner Tarzan is still embraced as he scales the scaffolds of the stage mid-way through “Hurricane”. His constant theatrics must have worked up a sweat, but his new face paint, that puts Luke Steele’s to shame, stayed in tact. So did the band’s reputation for putting on an entertaining live performance.
By this point in the day the sun was finally out after two days of constant rain and overcast weather. However, Odd Future were about to start in the Boiler Room so it was time to go back indoors. Notoriously known for their tempers and fashionably late entrances to the stage I had made a personal deadline to leave if they weren’t on stage within 15 minutes of their advertised start time. But almost to the minute, Syd tha Kid took to the turntables to get things rolling. “64” served as the introduction to proceedings as Left Brain and Hodgy Beats took to the stage. It sounded as if they were shouting moreso than rapping and the speakers were unable to keep up, especially as Tyler, The Creator, Mike G and Domo Genesis joined the rest of their members a few moments later.
Five guys shouting together made it hard to hear anything at times. Disappointingly, it also took six songs for the audio crew to realise Tyler’s microphone either wasn’t working or switched on. Before this, his solo time fell flat as heads turned around to the mixing desk with confused looks. Tyler hadn’t realised though, and judging by his energy he was as passionate as ever. One of the first things we finally heard him say was, “I hate this song” as “Yonkers” began to play. The crowd echoed the song word-for-word with Odd Future looking somewhat impressed. The set wasn’t marred by trashing of equipment or abuse, but will be remembered for its raw energy.
The largest crowd of the afternoon was at Hilltop Hoods on the main stage. As the sun bleared down, “Hard Road” finished and “I Love It” began to the cheers of a good 10,000 strong fan base.
The Hot Produce stage was engulfed by punters to see Das Racist. They appeared again to be continuing on with their pursuit to further develop the genre of hip hop. At the same time The Vaccines were playing just next door. Their hit of 2011 “If You Wanna” was the perfect anthem to close out their late-afternoon set. Given the chance to play another few songs, they could have really hit their peak. Following another quick run of dates six months ago with Splendour In The Grass, perhaps they’re just playing hard to get.
Walking onto the stage to a grand climactic jazz ensemble, Kimbra dressed in a short black feather dress, exemplified the perfect way to combine entertainment, maturity and sexiness. Her set primarily consisted of work from her LP “Vows” and introductions to all songs were met with cheers from the large crowd for all were familiar hits. “Excited for the Hottest 100?, she questioned surely knowing deep down she’d eventually be topping that list with Gotye. She deserved that top honour after her act; it was note-perfect and supplied a refreshing tone to the afternoons heavy rock and rap environment.
Los Angeles band Mariachi El Bronx were up next. “Happy Australia Day motherfuckers,” we were wished as we were also promised the next hour would showcase the perfect way to make love. “Up first is the missionary position,” lead singer Matt Caughthran detailed as the band broke into “48 Roses”. They were the perfect compliment to the summer enthusiasm of the day. One could only imagine the energy their alter egos The Bronx could have brought.
To re-instate the idea that the Big Day Out is an overall event, as opposed to just a music festival, the famous half-pipe that once graced the main stage area during the heights of the festival, was resurrected with skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. My Chemical Romance supplied the soundtrack to some seriously epic runs in the half-pipe with hits “Teenagers” and “Welcome to the Black Parade’ getting the crowd confused as to which way to direct their attention.
Trademark toilet paper air guns signalled that former biochemical-engineer now turned mash-up extraordinaire Girl Talk was about to warp our minds. Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” was splashed into “Move Bitch” as strobes lit the room and balloons fell from the ceiling. New mixes featuring Adele and Lady Gaga with Australia’s own INXS were also debuted. He became the highlight of the day and due to the nature of his flirtation with popular songs, each mash-up was a uniting sing-a-long.
I won’t blame Foster The People when the day comes that they resent “Pumped Up Kicks”. Hell, it’s probably already happened. It’s become their ‘anthem’, just as “Creep” did for Radiohead: now look how they treat that song. Perhaps the drum and bass remix that the song broke down to as it closed out their set was their way of trying to revitalise it for themselves when they play it live. Mark Pontius is still one of the best new drummers out there. I’d love to also comment on Mark Foster’s famous shoulder dance and the overall stage presence of the band but due to the wall of people sitting on their friend’s shoulders I could only catch the occasional glimpse. I understand you may find it hard to see, but staying up there for the entire duration of a set ruined it for hundreds of people, maybe even thousands (the band definitely should have been on the larger stages). A bunch of pumped up shoulder-rising dropkicks if you ask me (sorry about that pun). But, Foster The People sounded great.
After many complaints about Soundgarden’s sound mixing the night before at their Sydney sideshow, it was good to see those issues didn’t plague in the last four songs I saw and heard. Admittedly, and as with most other people who were in the crowd, I’d never seen Soundgarden before so I having nothing to compare them with, however they appeared to the well-oiled machine anyone would expect them to be. They’re legends and professionals and they displayed that without any second thoughts. “We will see you soon,” Chris Cornell farewelled the crowd with.
As dancers stopped in their tracks after “ACT 1” was shown on stage, Kanye West rose from the crowd (albeit somewhat joltingly as the cherry picker didn’t seem to be cooperating) in a puff of smoke to “Dark Fantasy”. A genuine smile was seen on his face as he looked at the huddled audience. After months of online hate towards the artist and whether he was a deserving headliner, the hoards of cheers affirmed that all doubt was about to be disproved entirely. With no rants about failed wardrobe changes and coins being thrown at him (which halted his previous shows in Sydney and Melbourne in 2008), the show was a smooth and beautifully orchestrated artistic piece. Songs from the beginning of his career right up until My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy were selected. Obviously there was no Jay-Z but the lack of material from Watch The Throne was a little disappointing and made it feel too similar to the production he brought to Splendour last year. You can say you hate the man as much as you want, but you can’t deny he has a clear direction for what he wants his shows to be remembered as: an event.
Despite being at the back end of a tiring day, Noel Gallagher was still able to pull in a huge crowd with a setlist that was 50% his recent solo work and 50% his material from Oasis. Aside from the hymn that was “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, his work from his recent solo album had a better live energy. Maybe having only himself to contend with has been what he has needed all these years.
If anything, the day proved how relevant the Big Day Out still is in the Sydney calender. Despite months of criticism and comments that the festival is slowly dying, it appeared that at least this leg of the tour was a success. With the recent news Ken West has partnered with Lollapalooza promoters C3, next year has been promised to be “the biggest.” Let’s hope it is for all the right reasons; a return to form that will have the music fans in the gates first, and those who go just for the sake of it waiting on the outside.
– Lachlan Mitchell
